"An active region of the sun just rotating into the view of NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory gives a profile view of coronal loops over about a two-day period, from Feb. 8-10, 2014."

"An active region of the sun just rotating into the view of NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory gives a profile view of coronal loops over about a two-day period, from Feb. 8-10, 2014."

Photo: Solar Dynamics Observatory, NASA

"An active region of the sun just rotating into the view of... Photo-7327543.100282 - Houston Chronicle

Image 3 of 27 |
Hubble Views Stellar Genesis in the Southern Pinwheel

"A photogenic and favorite target for amateur astronomers, the full
beauty of nearby spiral galaxy M83 is unveiled in all of its glory in
this Hubble Space Telescope mosaic image. The vibrant magentas and blues
reveal the galaxy is ablaze with star formation. The galaxy, also known
as the Southern Pinwheel, lies 15 million light-years away in the
constellation Hydra." less

"A photogenic and favorite target for amateur astronomers, the full
beauty of nearby spiral galaxy M83 is unveiled in all of its glory in
this Hubble Space Telescope mosaic image. The vibrant magentas and ... more

"On Feb. 1, 2014, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Koichi Wakata tweeted this view of a crescent moon rising and the cusp of Earth's atmosphere. Distinct colors are visible because the dominant gases and particles in each layer of the atmosphere act as prisms, filtering out certain colors of light." less

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Hubble Celebrates Its 24th Anniversary with an Infrared Look at a Nearby Star Factory

"In celebration of the 24th anniversary of the launch of NASA's Hubble Space Telescope (on April 24, 1990) astronomers have taken an infrared-light portrait of a roiling region of starbirth located 6,400 light-years away. The Hubble mosaic unveils a collection of carved knots of gas and dust in a small portion of the Monkey Head Nebula (also known as NGC 2174 and Sharpless Sh2-252)." less

"In celebration of the 24th anniversary of the launch of NASA's Hubble Space Telescope (on April 24, 1990) astronomers have taken an infrared-light portrait of a roiling region of starbirth located 6,400 ... more

"Scientists have produced a new version of what is perhaps NASA's best view of Jupiter's ice-covered moon, Europa. The mosaic of color images was obtained in the late 1990s by NASA's Galileo spacecraft. This is the first time that NASA is publishing a version of the scene produced using modern image processing techniques." less

"Scientists have produced a new version of what is perhaps NASA's best view of Jupiter's ice-covered moon, Europa. The mosaic of color images was obtained in the late 1990s by NASA's Galileo spacecraft. This is ... more

Photo: SETI Institute, JPL-Caltech, NASA

"Scientists have produced a new version of what is perhaps... Photo-7193591.100282 - Houston Chronicle

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Europa's Stunning Surface

Taboola Gallery Frame Item-85307.100282 - Houston Chronicle

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Sunrise on Saturn

"A new day dawns on Saturn as the part of the planet seen here emerges once more into the Sun's light. With an estimated rotation period of 10 hours and 40 minutes, Saturn's days and nights are much shorter than those on Earth." less

"A new day dawns on Saturn as the part of the planet seen here emerges once more into the Sun's light. With an estimated rotation period of 10 hours and 40 minutes, Saturn's days and nights are much shorter ... more

Photo: NASA, JPL-Caltech, Space Science Institute

"A new day dawns on Saturn as the part of the planet seen here... Photo-7327550.100282 - Houston Chronicle

Image 12 of 27 |
Galactic Get-Together Has Impressive Light Display

"Located about 130 million light-years from Earth, in the constellation of Canis Major, this pair of spiral galaxies has been caught in a grazing encounter."

"Located about 130 million light-years from Earth, in the constellation of Canis Major, this pair of spiral galaxies has been caught in a grazing encounter."

Photo: NASA, CXC, SAO, S.Mineo Et Al, STScI, Infr

"Located about 130 million light-years from Earth, in the... Photo-7327560.100282 - Houston Chronicle

Image 13 of 27 |
Jupiter's Great Red Spot Viewed by Voyager I

"In January and February 1979, NASA's Voyager 1 spacecraft zoomed toward Jupiter, capturing hundreds of images during its approach, including this close-up of swirling clouds around Jupiter's Great Red Spot. This image was assembled from three black and white negatives. The observations revealed many unique features of the planet that are still being explored to this day." less

"In January and February 1979, NASA's Voyager 1 spacecraft zoomed toward Jupiter, capturing hundreds of images during its approach, including this close-up of swirling clouds around Jupiter's Great Red Spot. ... more

"This is a Hubble Space Telescope composite image of a supernova explosion designated SN 2014J in the galaxy M82. At a distance of approximately 11.5 million light-years from Earth it is the closest supernova of its type discovered in the past few decades." less

"This is a Hubble Space Telescope composite image of a supernova explosion designated SN 2014J in the galaxy M82. At a distance of approximately 11.5 million light-years from Earth it is the closest supernova ... more

"Like lifting a giant veil, the near-infrared vision of NASA's Hubble Space Telescope uncovers a dazzling new view deep inside the Tarantula Nebula. Hubble reveals a glittering treasure trove of more than 800,000 stars and protostars embedded inside the nebula." less

"Like lifting a giant veil, the near-infrared vision of NASA's Hubble Space Telescope uncovers a dazzling new view deep inside the Tarantula Nebula. Hubble reveals a glittering treasure trove of more than ... more

"Few cosmic vistas excite the imagination like the Orion Nebula, an immense stellar nursery some 1,500 light-years away. This stunning false-color view spans about 40 light-years across the region, constructed using infrared data from the Spitzer Space Telescope." less

"Few cosmic vistas excite the imagination like the Orion Nebula, an immense stellar nursery some 1,500 light-years away. This stunning false-color view spans about 40 light-years across the region, constructed ... more

Image 19 of 27 |
Milky Way Viewed From the International Space Station

"NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman captured this image from the International Space Station and posted it to social media on Sept. 28, 2014, writing, 'The Milky Way steals the show from Sahara sands that make the Earth glow orange.' " less

"NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman captured this image from the International Space Station and posted it to social media on Sept. 28, 2014, writing, 'The Milky Way steals the show from Sahara sands that make the ... more

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Milky Way Viewed From the International Space Station

Taboola Gallery Frame Item-85307.100282 - Houston Chronicle

Image 21 of 27 |
Flying Through an Aurora

"European Space Agency astronaut Alexander Gerst posted this photograph taken from the International Space Station to social media on Aug. 29, 2014, writing, 'words can't describe how it feels flying through an #aurora. I wouldn't even know where to begin ... ' " less

"European Space Agency astronaut Alexander Gerst posted this photograph taken from the International Space Station to social media on Aug. 29, 2014, writing, 'words can't describe how it feels flying through an ... more

"This view, captured by the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, shows a nearby spiral galaxy known as NGC 1433. At about 32 million light-years from Earth, it is a type of very active galaxy known as a Seyfert galaxy — a classification that accounts for 10% of all galaxies. They have very bright, luminous centers that are comparable in brightness to that of our entire galaxy, the Milky Way." less

"This view, captured by the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, shows a nearby spiral galaxy known as NGC 1433. At about 32 million light-years from Earth, it is a type of very active galaxy known as a Seyfert ... more

"Some galaxies have extremely bright cores, suggesting that they contain a supermassive black hole that is pulling in matter at a prodigious rate. Astronomers call these 'active galaxies,' and Hercules A is one of them." less

"Some galaxies have extremely bright cores, suggesting that they contain a supermassive black hole that is pulling in matter at a prodigious rate. Astronomers call these 'active galaxies,' and Hercules A is one ... more

"Nearly a million seconds of observing time with NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory has revealed a spiral galaxy similar to the Milky Way glittering with hundreds of X-ray points of light. The galaxy is officially named Messier 51 (M51) or NGC 5194, but often goes by its nickname of the 'Whirlpool Galaxy.' " less

"Nearly a million seconds of observing time with NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory has revealed a spiral galaxy similar to the Milky Way glittering with hundreds of X-ray points of light. The galaxy is ... more

Photo: NASA, CXC, Wesleyan Univ., R.Kilgard, Et Al, STScl

"Nearly a million seconds of observing time with NASA’s... Photo-7327691.100282 - Houston Chronicle